Floor truss construction



March 26, 1935. .1. KAHN 1,995,924

FLOOR TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 hei iid i March 26, 1935. J. KAHN FLOOR TRUss CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1951 fallas-lm yMarch 26, 1935. J. KAHN FLOOR TRUS S CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 18, 1951' Y1sheets-sheet 5 March 26, 1935. J. KAHN FLOOR TRUSS CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 18, 1951 Patented Mar. 26, 1935 FLOOR TRUSS CONSTRUCTION Julius Kahn, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to Truscon Steel Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a corporation of Michigan Application Febmary 1s, 1931, serial No. 516,741

11 Claims. A

The object of the present invention is to provide a foundation or floor construction of a selfsupporting character, which can be made light in weight and is economical in the amount of material necessary, and furthermore'is adapted for use in long spans.

A further object is to provide a structure of this character that may be readily made up in units which can be easily assembled.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a typical assembly of units embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is aA detail sectional view taken on the line'2-2 of Figure .1, with the central portion broken away. v

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the details of the embodiment vof the invention of Figuresl 1 and 2.

' Figure 5 is a detail perspective view in section. Figure 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of a modified form of construction.

Figure l7 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the units of. the assembly of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the units illustrated in Figure 6.

Considering rst the embodiment disclosed in Figures 1-5 inclusive and 7, a floor structure is illustrated mounted on a frame, including vertical beams 9 and horizontal beams 10. This floor structure is made up of individual sets of units spanning the space between the beams 10 and located side by side. -As the units are of the same structure, a description of one, it is believed, will suflce for all.

A foundation plate of metal 11, which may be transversely cambered, as shown, or otherwise suitably shaped and long enough to span the space between the beams 10, is of channel formation to provide marginal depending side anges l2. This plate 11, as shown, constitutes ineffect a centering member. It is supported and strengthened by underlying girder members, of which the anges 12 and therefore the plate constitute the upper chord elements. Lower chord elements, shown as angle bars 13, (though their cross sectional configuration can obviously be Varied) underlie the flanges 12 in spaced relation thereto and have upturned end portions 14 with horizontal terminals 15 that are welded or otherwise secured, as indicated at 16, to the ends of the flanges 12. (See Figure '7). An open web of lattice form is interposed between each lower (Cl. 'Z2-70) chord element 13 and the overlying ange 12. As shown the lattice element takes the form of a serpentine or zigzag bar 17 that may be an angle bar. Its bends or knuckles 18 lie against the inner sides of the flange 12 and the upstand- 5 ing flange of the chord element 13 and are suitably secured thereto, as by welding.

It will be obvious that units are thus provided which may be of any length, weight and proportion desired and which can be fabricated at 10 the manufacturing plant. In use these are simply laid side by side, as indicated by Figures 1, 2 and 3, with the reduced ends formed by the directly associated ends 15 of the lower chord members and theends of the flanges 12 resting on the 15 supporting beams 10. When pipe chases are desired, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, it is only necessary to suitably space adjacent units and place suitable supports, as 19, therein for carrying the pipes 20. 'Ihe space between the adjacent sup- 20 ports is bridged by a suitable cover 21, which may be laid on carrier bars 22 fastened over the adjacent flanges 12. Preferably the assembled struc- I ture may be covered by a thin layer of concrete 23, or other suitable material, forming the oor. 25 'Ihis layer however need not be thick as it does not have to herself-supporting, the actual load being carried by the plates 12 and their underlying latticed girder members which form a part of the same. In fact under some circumstances 30 it is entirely feasible and practicable to have the plates themselves constitute the actual floor and tread surface. It will be understood that the lower chord elements 13 will constitute suitable supports for the ceiling 24 beneath, which may 35 be hung therefrom in any well-known or desired manner.

As a modification of the structure that is considered to come within the scope of the invention, attention is invited to Figures 6 and 8.

As here shown, each foundation unit as before consists of an elongated plate 25 having depending side flanges 26 and 27. One of these flanges, as 27, has its lower marginoutturned, as illustrated at 28 to provide a supporting ledge. The ange 45 27 and incidentally the plate 25 constitute the upper chord of an underlying supporting beam or girder. The lower chord element as in the previously described structure comprises an angle bar 29 having upturned end portions as shown 50 at 30, these end portions being provided with terminals 31 welded, as illustrated at 32, to the flange 27. An open webA or lattice element 33 is interposed between the lower chord element 29 and the iiange 27, and has its bends 34 welded respectively to the lower chord element 29 andthe flange 27. i

In this particular embodiment of the inven-r flange 26 of each unit rests upon the ledge -28 of the flange 2'7 that constitutes the upper chord element-of the girder. The associated flanges may be bolted or otherwise secured together, as shown at 35. It will be noted that one girder member is located beneath each joint, whereas in the first described embodimentv two girdermembers become associated and constitute really sections of a. girder unit.

Obviously an assemblage of the first described units with the same gauge of materials as that employed ln the second produces a stronger and more rigid support, but as heretofore indicated, the size, weight and proportions of the structural elements can be varied within a wide range.

It will be clear therefore that there is provided in the disclosed invention not only a structural unit that' is peculiarly desirable because of its adaptability to varying conditions met with in modern buildings, but that it is a structure which can be easily fabricated and assembled and may be made to adequately and rigidly support any estimated load while being itself relatively light in weight.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without further description and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention,

What I claim, is:

l. A foundation support member for floors and the like comprising a plate having a` longitudinal depending flange along one edge, and a supporting beam element comprising a lower chord of less width than the plate and a web secured to the lower chord and to said flange.

2. A foundation support member for floors and the like comprising a. channel plate the anges of which are depending, and supporting beam elements beneath the margins of the plate and having the flanges for upper chords, and further including lower chords and webs interposed between the said upper flanges and lower chords.

3. A foundation support memberfor floors and the like comprising a channel plate the flanges of which are depending, and supporting beam elements beneath the margins ofthe plate and having said flanges for their upper chords, said supporting beam elements further including lower `chordsand webs of substantially serpentine 4form having their bends or knuckles secured respectively to the upper flanges and lower chords.

4. A foundation support member for floors and flange and having an upturned end secured thereto, and a skeleton web interposed between the' flange and lower chord bar.

6. A foundation support member for floors and the like comprising a channel plate the flanges of which are depending, lower chord bars below the flanges, and skeleton webs interposed between the respective flanges and the chord bars below them, said webs being secured to the inner sides of the flanges.

'1. A foundation support member comprising a plate having a depending marginal flange, supporting means beneath and connected to the flange, and a supporting ledge at the juncture of the flange and supporting means for carryingV the f ree margin of an associated plate.

8. A foundation support member comprising a plate having a depending marginal flange, supporting means including a lower chord element, and a lattice web between the chord element and flange secured to both, and an outstanding supporting ledge at said flange on which the free edge of an associated plate may rest. v

9. A floor or like support comprising a series depending flanges, one of the flanges of each plate having an outstanding ledge on which the adjacent flange of the adjacent plate rests, and supporting means located. beneath the said associated flanges and comprising lower chords and lattice webs.

10. A foundation support member comprising a plate of deformed metal having a depending flange along one edge, forming the upper chord of a reinforcing girder, a lower chord for said supporting girder of less width than the plate and located below the flange, 'and a'web connecting the lower chord and flange and secured to the inner side of the latter.

11. A foundation support for floors and the like comprising spaced lower chords, spaced webs mounted on said lower chords and a floor or like plate constituting an upper chord common to both webs and having its opposite side margins extending over and secured to the spaced webs respectively.

JULIUS KAHN.

`of associated foundation plates having marginal j 

